It is well known and understood that commercial vehicles spend a large amount of time on the roads. As a result of the large amount of time these vehicles spend on the roads, the vehicles, and their drivers, become valuable sources of information regarding the condition of various segments of roads. These vehicles can provide information relating to road conditions, such as but not limited to, how rough or smooth the road(s) are, how hilly the road(s) are, how curved or straight the road(s) are, how many potholes are in the road(s), as well as other conditions. Additionally, the vehicles can provide information in relation to the amount of traffic on a given segment of road and how quickly or slowly the traffic is moving on a given segment of road.
Owners and/or operators of commercial vehicles find all of this information valuable as they want to find the quickest and safest route possible to deliver their cargo. A quick and safe route ensures that the vehicle and the vehicle operator experience a minimum of wear and tear, it enables the vehicle and the vehicle operator to take additional loads, it reduces fuel costs and increases the level of safety associated with the endeavor.
In most cases, the above-mentioned road condition information is not shared among vehicle owners and/or vehicle operators. It would therefore be advantageous to share this information, particularly on a real-time basis, with third parties, governmental entities and/or the public so that efficient routes can be planned, fuel costs can be reduces, and information about the condition of various segments of roads can be shared so they can be repaired as needed.